EP2229841B1 - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a toothbrush according to the preamble of claim 1.

From the US 4,520,526 , of the US 5,105,499 and the US 6,003,189 Toothbrushes are known which have a transverse to the toothbrush bristles opening in the neck in the neck. This opening should usually allow a better adaptability of the toothbrush head to the dental care process in the mouth. This results due to the smaller cross sections in the neck area, a higher elasticity and thus better but more sudden compliance of the brush head. Disadvantageously, however, it has been shown that in these known toothbrushes a controlled guidance of the head in the mouth is very difficult. This is especially true in a brushing technique according to the Bass method and in other methods in which forces are exerted on the head in different axial directions during cleaning.

From the US 2008/0184511 A1 Furthermore, a toothbrush is known whose head segments can adapt particularly well in the toothbrushing process to the tooth surface to be cleaned.

From the WO-A2-2008 / 017996 a toothbrush of the type mentioned is known. Here, two longitudinal slots are left in a first hard component of the toothbrush neck, which are filled in a second injection molding step with an elastomer component. The elastomer component can form depressions on the top of the neck. Another toothbrush with an elastomeric component in the neck to head transition area is from the EP-A1-0648448 known.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush of the type mentioned above, which on the one hand can be used particularly ergonomically and, on the other hand, continues to be used for a controlled tooth brushing operation.

This object is achieved by a toothbrush having the features of claim 1.

By forming an opening in the neck of the toothbrush whose basic structure is formed by a hard plastic component, the flexibility of the neck and the head can be positively influenced. In order to improve this flexibility in the relevant for the cleaning technique axial directions of the head is an elastic muscle, which is provided at a portion of a boundary wall of the opening to selectively thrust or To absorb tensile forces. In addition, the elastic muscle does not give rise to sudden yielding of the head and neck when a force is exerted on the head. The elastic muscle in combination with the adjacent opening in the neck allows a very controlled modulation of the flexibility of the neck in predefined axial directions.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the elastic muscle is formed by a third soft plastic component. A soft plastic component such as. As a thermoplastic elastomer is compressed or stretched, without causing cracking, which further ensures good manufacturability of the toothbrush in the multi-component injection molding process. The soft plastic component can thus cushion forces exerted on the boundary wall of the opening during tooth brushing, thus providing a greater tolerance range of controlled elastic deformation of the neck during tooth brushing.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the third soft plastic component is identical to the first soft plastic component. This reduces tool complexity in the multi-component injection molding process. The third soft plastic component is directly connected to the first soft plastic component or connected thereto via a connecting channel. Alternatively, the third soft plastic component may be formed completely delimited by the first soft plastic component in the handle of the toothbrush, so that the third soft plastic component or the elastic muscle is directly surrounded only by the hard plastic component of the neck.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening is enclosed by two lateral, a front adjacent to the head and a rear adjacent to the handle arranged boundary wall, wherein only on one of the lateral, front or rear boundary wall of the elastic muscle is provided. Thus, the elasticity characteristic provided by the hard plastic component in the neck still dominates around the opening, whereby an increased elasticity around the opening is specifically provided on one of the stress sides of the boundary wall around the opening. This allows in particular the production of toothbrushes that can be optimized for certain brushing techniques. In addition, such a over a longer range of head, neck and handpiece a continuous flexibility curve is adjustable.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening is formed such that it is 1.5 to 7 mm wide between two lateral boundary walls. The opening width can vary over the longitudinal extent of the toothbrush neck or remain substantially constant.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening between the front and the rear boundary wall 10 to 35 mm long. Through these dimensions of the Opening is thus given a strong influence on the consequent bending elasticity of the neck.

In an advantageous embodiment, the opening has a substantially triangular or oval cross-section. In particular, a triangular longitudinal extent of the opening provides an approximately uniform cross-section of the side limbs laterally on the neck adjacent to the opening, in the event that the neck outer cross-section is also ascending in a direction from the head to the handle with the cross-section of the opening.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening in the neck extends in the same direction as at least part of the attachment openings for the oral care elements in the head. Since the attachment openings for oral care elements in the head are usually aligned vertically upward, z. B. in the form of Bestopfungsausnehmungen for toothbrush tufts, the opening in the neck has an equally vertical extension. By this design, not only an advantageous neck elasticity is adjustable, but also given the same demolding direction for the injection mold inserts for the openings manufacturing technology. Thus, the tool complexity of the injection molding tool is thus kept low.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening in the neck also extends in the same direction as a structure openings (possibly filled by an elastomer) in the hard component basic structure of the handle, so that the tool handling advantages are also given in this vertical direction. In addition, the same alignment of the structural openings in the handle with the orientation of the opening in the neck standardizes the vertical and horizontal bending behavior of the neck with the handle. Thus, an increased bending of the neck is initiated under load when brushing teeth in the adjacent region of the handle, so that in the transition region between the neck and handle under heavy stress no increased stresses, because this front grip area is also designed to be yielding in the same direction. Furthermore, the user receives directly in the area where the toothbrush is held a sensory feedback on an increased bending load on the neck, because the handle bends in the thumb rest with and thus the user can correct his selected contact force during brushing accordingly.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the opening in the neck is aligned transversely to the attachment openings for the oral care elements in the head. Such a training of Opening offers a changed, usually stiffer flexural elasticity in the transverse direction to the mounting holes. The increased stresses of the side legs or Begrenzungswandungen laterally to the opening in the neck is advantageously absorbed by an elastic muscle in these side legs.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the handle of the toothbrush is designed such that its elastic flexibility in a region between the thumb rest and index finger rest adjacent to the neck in a vertical direction is at least 50% greater than its bendability in a direction rotated by 90 ° transversely thereto the side of the handle at the same point of the longitudinal extension of the handle. The thumb rest is provided at the top of the handle adjacent to the neck and the index finger rest at the opposite bottom of the handle also adjacent to the neck. Adjacent to the neck means up to an extension of 3 or 4 cm from the transition of the neck to the handle. Advantageously, a comparable bending characteristic is thus provided for the front grip area around the thumb rest and forefinger rest around as it is preferably provided for the neck, with which the flexibility in the vertical direction is substantially greater than the bendability in the lateral direction. The bendability of the handle in the front area around the thumb rest and forefinger rest or about a center of the thumb rest in the vertical direction is preferably greater by 50 to 1000% or 100 to 500% than in a direction rotated by 90 ° transversely across the side of the Handle at the same point of the length of the handle. Such a bending characteristic can be achieved, for example, by continuing the side limbs or boundary walls of the opening in the neck of hard plastic laterally into the front grip area and / or providing openings in the front grip area in the basic structure of the hard plastic, which are provided, for example, by a soft elastomer can be completed. So there are structure openings in the basic structure of the hard plastic component of the toothbrush provided in the same direction, in particular as the opening of the neck is aligned, so that a good bendability of the handle is given in the thumb rest.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the handle is designed such that its elastic flexibility in the vertical direction in an area between the thumb rest and forefinger rest adjacent to the neck is at least 50% greater than its flexibility in the same vertical direction in a central portion of the handle, midway between the free rear end and the front end of the handle adjacent to the neck. Thus, while the elasticity of the neck is introduced into the front grip area, the middle and hingriffriff however, preferably remains relatively stiffer on all sides, so that the toothbrush as a whole can be well controlled during tooth brushing.

This aspect can also be provided independently of the aforementioned aspects or in any combination of the aforementioned individual features. This also applies to the following advantageous embodiments, which are also claimable independently of the other design features.

The toothbrush advantageously has an elastic bendability (when brushing teeth) in the vertical direction about the center of the neck, which is greater than the elastic flexibility in the vertical direction of the handle also around the center of the thumb rest at the front end of the handle adjacent to the neck. Thus, the neck is formed in the vertical direction more elastic than the adjacent handle portion, wherein preferably a continuous transition of the elastic flexibility of neck is provided in the handle in the vertical direction of bending.

The toothbrush further advantageously has an increased elastic flexibility in the vertical direction of a portion of the head relative to an elastic flexibility in the vertical direction about the center of the neck. Thus, from the head to the neck and the front part of the handle and also to the middle of the handle there is a continuous increase in the stiffness of the toothbrush body from the front to the rear, deviating from the prior art, the elastic flexibility is not limited to the head or neck ,

In a further advantageous embodiment of the toothbrush, the thumb rest of the handle is formed on its upper side such that the thumb can be supported in sections of the basic structure. The thumb rest is formed by the first soft plastic component and the basic structure. Due to the arrangement of several sections of the basic structure in the region of the thumb rest over its longitudinal extent, the thumb rest can be pressed in with the thumb only between 0 and 3 mm. Thus, the thumb does not / hardly sinks into the thumb pad during tooth brushing, which gives good control of the toothbrush.

Other objects, advantages, features and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. All described and / or illustrated features form in itself or in any meaningful combination, the subject matter of the present invention also regardless of their summary in claims or their dependency.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf die Zahnbürste nach der Erfindung,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht auf die Zahnbürste nach Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine räumliche Darstellung einer zu Fig. 1 leicht modifizierten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 4

eine räumliche Darstellung auf die Grundstruktur der Zahnbürste nach Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine Längsschnittdarstellung entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht eines Teils einer weiteren alternativen Ausführungsform zur Zahnbürste nach Fig. 1, und

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht auf den Teil der Zahnbürste nach Fig. 6.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a top view of the toothbrush according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a side view of the toothbrush behind Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a spatial representation of an Fig. 1 slightly modified embodiment,

Fig. 4

a spatial representation of the basic structure of the toothbrush Fig. 3 .

Fig. 5

a longitudinal sectional view along the line AA in Fig. 4 .

Fig. 6

a side view of part of a further alternative embodiment of the toothbrush according to Fig. 1 , and

Fig. 7

a plan view of the part of the toothbrush after Fig. 6 ,

The Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the toothbrush. This has a handle 2, a neck 3 and a head 4. The toothbrush consists of three plastic components. A basic structure 5 made of hard plastic, such. B. polypropylene. The basic structure 5 is associated with the FIGS. 4 and 5 explained in more detail. A first soft plastic component 6 is provided on the handle 2 and also on the neck as an elastic muscle 7.

The head consists of a central support 8 which forms an extension of the basic structure 5 towards the front end of the toothbrush. In the region of the free end 9 of the head, a further part of the brush head 4 is attached. The attachment of the further part is preferably carried out by injection molding on the central support 8 at the position 9. The further component of the brush head 4 is formed by a relative to the middle part 8 resilient outer bristle carrier 10. The outer carrier 10 comprises an elastomer / polypropylene mixture. The bristle carrier 10 is in the embodiment of the FIGS. 1 and 2 approximately U-shaped, with the free u-leg ends 11 facing the neck and handle. Either the middle carrier 8 and the carrier 10 are equipped with oral care elements. In this embodiment, all bristle carriers 8 and 10 are provided with filament bristle tufts 12. Alternatively, additional or exclusive elastomer cleaning elements or other oral care elements may be provided. The filament bristle tufts 12 are fastened or encapsulated in fastening openings or recesses of the central support 8 and the U-shaped support 10. These attachment openings 13 are aligned substantially vertically. The figures show a bristle configuration in which tufts of bristle cross over from the side perspective. For simplicity's sake, it is assumed here that the corresponding fastening openings are aligned vertically upwards despite their oblique arrangement. The corresponding vertical axis 14 is in Fig. 2 shown. All references to a vertical orientation in the description are parallels to this vertical axis 14.

The brush head 4 can according to the embodiments in the US 2008/0184511 A1 be educated. This relates above all to the mode of action of the outer movable bristle segments to the inner bristle segment, the bristle or training with oral care elements and the variations thereto.

The neck 3 has an approximately triangular-shaped through-going opening, which breaks through the neck 3 freely from an upper side of the toothbrush 16 to an underside of the toothbrush 17. The opening 15 in the neck 3 is enclosed by four boundary walls. A front boundary wall 18 adjacent to the head, two lateral boundary walls 19 and 20, which also form side legs of the neck at the opening and a rear boundary wall 21, which in the embodiment according to Fig. 1, 2 and 3 surrounded by the elastic muscle 7.

The elastic muscle 7 is part of the first soft plastic component 6 of the handle 2 and is preferably formed of thermoplastic elastomer.

In the context of all embodiments, a longitudinal axis 22 of the toothbrush is defined as the crossing axis between the vertical and horizontal longitudinal central planes of the handle. This axis 22 extends from the rear free end of the handle 23 to the front free end 9 of the head 4. The vertical axis 14 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 22 and passes through the vertical center plane from the top 16 to the bottom 17 of the toothbrush. Perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 22 is also the horizontal transverse axis 24, which lies in a horizontal plane of the toothbrush. Any reference to a transverse or horizontal direction on the toothbrush in this description represents a parallel to the axis 24. The handle 2 according to this embodiment is injection molded from two components, but may alternatively be used in 3-component Hart as an alternative to 2-component hard / soft - Hard / soft or in hard / soft / soft plastic execution are injected. The handle has a thumb rest 27 on the upper side 16 of the toothbrush between a front plane 25 defining the forward end of the handle 2 adjacent the neck and a plane approximately 3 or 4 cm parallel rearwardly toward the rear end of the toothbrush Handle and a forefinger rest 28 on the bottom 17 of the handle. The surface of the thumb rest 27 is formed both by the hard plastic of the basic structure and by the first soft plastic of the handle. The hard plastic emerges in several rings on the surface of the thumb rest 27. The small diameter of the hard plastic rings and the small distances of the rings to each other from about 2 to 6 mm have the consequence that the thumb always rests on the hard plastic structure of the rings. The soft plastic is thus in the area of the thumb rest not or only max. a few mm such. B. 2 to 3 mm pressed.

In the region of the handle 2, the basic structure 5 has a plurality of structure openings 29 whose center axes run parallel to the vertical 14. The structure openings 29 in the basic structure 5 are filled by the first soft plastic component 6. By the structure openings 29 filled with elastomeric plastic, by the continuation of the side legs 19 and 20 of the lateral boundary walls of the opening of the neck to the side walls 30 and 31 made of hard plastic on the handle 2, a specific characteristic of the elastic flexibility of the toothbrush on the longitudinal axis 22 results. The elastic compliance is greatest in the head region and there especially in the outer straps 10. An arrow 32 in Fig. 2 shows a corresponding location in the brush head with great elastic flexibility. Relative to this, the elastic flexibility is also in the vertical direction in the neck area due to the opening 15 and the elastic muscle 7 continues to be very large (see arrow 33 in FIG Fig. 3 for an apply force) but lower compared to the elasticity of the head carrier segments. The neck in turn is elastically deflectable in the vertical direction by a force at the point 33 in the middle of the neck applied in the vertical direction than when applying an equal force in the middle of the thumb rest 27 (see arrow 34 in FIG Fig. 2 ). However, the vertical elastic compliance in the area of the thumb rest is relative to a resilient compliance in the vertical direction in the center of the handle (see arrow 35 for an exemplary applied force in FIG Fig. 2 ) at least 50% greater than the elastic bendability in the middle 35 of the handle. Thus results an above-average compliance of the head, neck and handle structure in the vertical direction, which decreases continuously to the handle center of the handle. The elastic compliance in the area of the thumb rest 34 in the vertical direction is at least 50% greater than the elastic compliance in a transverse direction thereto (see transverse force 36 in FIG Fig. 1 ).

The modified embodiment according to the FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 differs from the embodiment in the FIGS. 1 and 2 essentially in that the opening 15 in the neck is formed somewhat shorter longitudinally along the axis 22.

The FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the toothbrush after the FIGS. 1 to 5 , wherein a difference in a 90 ° rotated orientation of the opening 37 consists. The opening 37 extends with an approximately horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal plane which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis 22. An upper side leg is provided with an elastic muscle 38 which either covers the hard plastic of the neck also at this point to provide a somewhat reduced neck elasticity or replace the hard plastic at this point to provide increased elasticity of the head in the vertical direction.

The elastic muscle is in the FIGS. 6 and 7 at the top, ie on the same side on which the tooth cleaning elements are mounted provided. Alternatively, also in this embodiment, the elastic muscle 38 may be laterally disposed on one of the three other boundary walls, front, back, or bottom, to otherwise tune the elasticity and flexibility of the brush head during brushing. The FIGS. 6 and 7 show the head and the handle only schematically simplified, alternatively, also for the embodiment of the FIGS. 6 and 7 the brush head after the FIGS. 1 to 3 be provided and the handle on the FIGS. 1 to 3 ,

Claims (15)

1. A toothbrush with a handle (2), a head (4) with oral care elements and a neck (3) that connects the head (4) with the handle (2), wherein a basic structure (5) of the handle (2), of the neck (3) and of the head (4) is formed out of a hard plastic component, wherein the basic structure (5) of the handle (2) is at least partially covered with a first soft plastic component (6); characterized in that:

   the head (4) has a second soft plastic component; the neck (3) has an opening therethrough (15, 37); and at least one section of a boundary wall (18, 19, 20, 21) of the opening (15, 37) is provided with an elastic "muscle" (7, 38).
2. The toothbrush according to Claim 1;
   characterized in that
   the elastic muscle (7, 38) is formed by a third soft plastic component.
3. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   the third soft plastic component is identical to the first soft plastic component (6).
4. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   the opening (15, 37) is surrounded by two lateral boundary walls (19, 20), a forward boundary wall (18) arranged adjacent to the head (4) and a rear boundary wall (21) arranged adjacent to the handle (2), wherein the elastic muscle (7, 38) is provided only at one of the lateral (19, 20), forward (18) or rear (21) boundary walls.
5. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   the opening (15, 37) between two lateral boundary walls (19, 20) is 1.5 to 7 mm wide.
6. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   the opening (15, 37) between forward (18) and rear (21) boundary walls is 10 to 35 mm long.
7. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   the opening (15, 37) has an essentially triangular or oval cross section.
8. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   attachment openings (13) for the oral care elements are provided in the head (4), which attachment openings extend in the same vertical direction as the opening (15, 37) in the neck (3).
9. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
   characterized in that
   structural openings (29) are provided in the basic structure (5) in the handle (2), which structural openings (29) extend in the same vertical direction as the opening (15, 37) in the neck (3).
10. The toothbrush according to one of the preceding Claims;
    characterized in that
    the opening (15, 37) in the neck (3) is oriented transversely to the attachment openings (13) for the oral care elements in the head (4).
11. The toothbrush according to Claim 9;
    characterized in that
    the handle (2) is designed such that its elastic flexibility in a vertical direction is greater by at least 50% in a region between the thumb rest (27) and the index finger rest (28), adjacent to the neck (3), than its flexibility in a direction rotated by 90° relative to this, across the side of the handle (2) at the same point of the longitudinal extent of the handle (2).
12. The toothbrush according to Claim 9 or 11;
    characterized in that
    the handle (2) is designed such that its elastic flexibility in the vertical direction is greater by at least 50% in a region between thumb rest (27) and index finger rest (28), adjacent to the neck (3), than its flexibility in the same vertical direction in a middle section of the handle (2), in the middle between the free rear handle end and the forward handle end, adjacent to the neck (3).
13. The toothbrush according to any of the Claims 9, 11 or 12;
    characterized in that
    the elastic flexibility in the vertical direction around the middle of the neck (3) is greater than the elastic flexibility in the vertical direction of the handle (2) around the middle of the thumb rest (27) at the forward end of the handle (2), adjacent to the neck (3).
14. The toothbrush according to any of the Claims 9 or 11 through 13;
    characterized in that
    the elastic flexibility, in the vertical direction, of a section of the head (4) is greater than the elastic flexibility in the vertical direction around the middle of the neck (3).
15. The toothbrush according to any of the Claims 9 or 11 through 14;
    characterized in that
    the thumb rest (27) of the handle (2) is fashioned on its top side such that the thumb can be supported on sections of the basic structure (5).

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